24TH-RANKED RAMS RETURN HOME TO DROP GEORGIA STATE, 6-1

RICHMOND, Va. – On Saturday morning in Richmond, the 11th
annual Monument Avenue 10k was run by nearly 40,000
participants.

While there is not quite that many players on the Virginia
Commonwealth University women's tennis roster, this upcoming
stretch may feel like running a 10k for the Black & Gold.

If that's the case, the Rams have sped ahead of the competition
through the first third after a 6-1 thrashing of Georgia State. The
conference match is the first of a stretch of three matches in
three days, two of which are against CAA foes, for the Black &
Gold.

VCU swept through the doubles matches led by the duo of Alex Bara
(Oradea, Romania) and Olena
Leonchuk (Kiev, Ukraine) at #3 doubles with a 8-1 beat
down of Kir Kemp and Lindsay Hearn.

Freshman Manuela
Pietzuch (Hechingen, Germany) kept the momentum going
into the singles competition with a 6-1, 6-0 win at #6 singles,
followed by reigning CAA Player of the Week Kateryna
Yergina (Kiev, Ukraine) picking up a straight set win
at #2 singles, 6-2, 6-1.

Laura Burns
(Hertford, England), Bara and senior Olena
Leonchuk (Kiev, Ukraine) all went on to register singles
wins and help the Rams secure their 14th win of the year.

Next up for the Black & Gold are the Terriers of Boston
University in a 10 a.m. match on Sunday morning at Thalhimer Tennis
Center.#24 VCU 6, Georgia
State 1